Natural Course
by Magic Kaito
Summary: Ahiru has something she just has to do. But it really wasn't anything for Fakir to worry about...


Natural Course

AN: You know how suddenly a plunnie can bite you while you're just lying in bed and you're really busy all day and have no time to write said plunnie? Yeah, that's what happened to me this morning. And I knew that if I didn't write it now I'd never do it. I did take a liberty or two for the sake of the plot, but I have my own magical author powers, right?

Disclaimer: I don't own Princess Tutu. Wish I did so I could claim I was that good at writing, but I don't, so I can't.

* * *

It was getting colder in Kinkan Town. It was still pleasant enough to take a stroll outside without needing a jacket, but the leaves were beginning to change color and fall from their branches. School was still going on as normal, and, despite her life being comparatively calm for the moment, Ahiru was feeling restless. She couldn't really figure out what the problem was, either. As the days passed, an odd feeling of anxiety was growing stronger inside of her.

So it had been going on until this morning as she walked across the campus with Pique and Lilie. The two of them gossiped about the latest news while Ahiru quietly kept pace with them.

"So, hey, what's been bothering you?" Pique suddenly asked, turning to look at her. "I mean, you've been a lot quieter than usual these days."

"Oh, um," Ahiru began. "I don't really know. I keep feeling like I've forgotten something important..."

"Does it have to do with Mytho?" she replied with a mischievous grin. "He hasn't been at school very often these days, has he?"

"Well, no, I don't think..."

"Or maybe it's Fakir," Lilie added.

"Oh, that's right! You like him now, too, don't you?" Pique said.

"Wait, what? No I..."

"Maybe you're trying to decide how to confess to both them, huh?" Pique continued, oblivious to what Ahiru was actually saying.

"I can't do..."

"Oh, and then she'll get rejected by both of them. How cute!"

"That's not what..."

"Well she'd better hurry. If she wants to be dating either of them by New Years, she'll need to confess before winter break starts."

"N-new Years?" Ahiru suddenly said, stopping. "That's right!"

"What's right?" Pique asked.

"Um, I gotta go do something! See you later!" she exclaimed, running back toward the dorms.

Her friends stared after her. "I wonder what that was about?" Pique finally said.

"She's probably going to get ready to be turned down," Lilie replied.

Ahiru frantically dashed into her room and began opening her drawers, dumping her belongings into a nearby suitcase she didn't completely remember owning in the first place. "I can't believe I forgot!" she said to herself as she tried to close it. Of course, she had packed it too full, and she ended up sitting on it a few times before it would finally close and she dashed back out the door. Ahiru raced across the school grounds, ignoring the strange stares she was getting as she reached the gates and turned to continue running down the road.

"Do you think she forgot about class entirely?" Pique asked, now standing near the doors to the ballet building with Lilie.

"Probably."

Ahiru kept running through the town, still attracting many wondering gazes. Her suitcase flung back and forth as she eventually made her way to one of the town gates.

"Finally," she said, panting. "If I hurry, I shouldn't be too late..." She grabbed the handles and pulled on the gates. They wouldn't budge.

"Huh? They won't open? Maybe I'm just doing it wrong..." Using all of her weight, she tried pushing them open. Still nothing.

"Why would they be locked?" she exclaimed, pulling on one side while pushing on the other. Through her struggling she failed to notice the steady beating sound coming closer to her...

Fakir was walking back from class. Something didn't feel right today. It had been strangely quiet. "Oh, I haven't seen Ahiru at all today," he thought. "She probably got in trouble for being late again or something, that idiot."

Just then, he noticed Uzura marching toward him, her gaze fixated on him. "Oh no, what she want?" he thought, looking to see if there was a place to hide her if her questions gave anything away.

She finally reached him and stared for a second before asking, "What does matter of life and death mean, zura?"

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

"What does matter of life and death mean, zura?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Ahiru said it was a matter of life and death, zura."

"What's a matter of life and death?" Fakir exclaimed. "Where is she?"

"She's at the bottom doors, zura," Uzura replied, pointing.

"The bottom... Oh, you mean the southern gates!" he said, dashing in the direction the puppet was indicating.

"What does it mean, zura?" she called, beginning to beat on her drum.

Fakir dashed through the streets, once again attracting odd stares from people who were beginning to wonder just what there was to rush to today.

By the time he found Ahiru, she had decided to try to see if kicking the gates would work. However, the force of the wooden doors against her kick gave her such a shock that she spun around, hit her head on the metal handle, and fell to the ground.

"Um, are you okay?" Fakir asked nervously.

"Ow..."

"What are you doing?"

"I- I've gotta get out!" she exclaimed, suddenly back on her feet and desperately trying to pull the gates open.

"Why?"

"Because," she replied, now pushing them again, "If I don't go now I don't know what's going to happen!"

"What? Why do you have a suitcase?"

"I have to leave before it's too late!"

"Too late for what?" Fakir exclaimed. "Would you mind actually answering me?"

"I have go now, Fakir. I'm already behind. If I can't get there soon enough, I'm not sure what's going to happen to me. I've never been this late before!"

"Late for... wait," he suddenly said, beginning to look very nervous. "You're... You're not..."

"Why won't these open?" she cried, apparently not aware of what he had been saying.

"Ahiru, you're not trying to go south for the winter, are you?"

He was met by silence for a moment. "Um, yeah."

"Ahiru..."

"I-I've gotta get going!" she continued, not sure of why his expression was so strange.

Fakir finally sighed. "Get out of the way," he said quietly, motioning her to the side. He grabbed the handles and gave them a pull.

"Well, they won't open," he said, picking up her suitcase and beginning to walk away.

"W-wait, Fakir!" Ahiru said, running after him.

"What is it?"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"You're a girl right now. You don't have to go anywhere."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Fakir sighed. "Yes. You'll be perfectly fine. I'm sure you can handle a little snow."

"B-but I've never..."

"Look," he said, stopping and looking back at her, "the rest of us have been able to handle it before, right?"

"I- I guess so..."

"And it's not like to you have to search for food, right?"

"That's true, but..."

"You won't have any problems," he finally said, smiling a little at her. "If anything comes up you can just ask me, okay?" He turned and began walking back toward the school with her bag.

Ahiru watched him for a bit before smiling and following him again. "All right. Thanks, Fakir!"

"Don't mention it," he mumbled.

* * *

AN: You know, I wasn't intending for this to have any sort of fluff in it and now that I'm done... Ha ha. Guess I just couldn't get away from it with those two, huh? 


End file.
